Wedding Cakes.

One of the earliest Chinook Jargon words to enter regional English, I’m finding, was ictas, used to mean “things; belongings; associated trimmings”. From the start of publishing in Oregon, I find it sprinkled into casual English.

An advertisement on page 3 in the Oregon City (OR) Argus of April 26, 1856 brings a nice proof that this word was readily understood. Nobody bothered defining it here, that’s for sure:

Wedding Cakes

Made to order, parties furnished with ictas
on shortest notice, &c., by
ap19 CHARMAN & WARNER

(That “ap19” must indicate that the ad was first placed a week before the current date.)